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Special effects in film can truly be a double - edged steel . On the one hand , they can add ornateness and optic flair to a moving-picture show , distort in details with imaginative imagery , action , and purple configurations .
On the other hand , movie maker who lean hard in this direction also take chances tethering a visual style to an era that ’s certain to evolve and improve . This can ironically make a movie that was once cutting sharpness seem " one-time hat . " It ’s for this reason that some motion picture that escort backdecadescan hold up today compared to some CG - heavy efforts of the advanced epoch .
A picture that injects too many modern machine or emphasizes overly - sleek CG may actually lookmoredated than one that use animatronics , stop motion , or merely interject special effects in a more subdued manner .
With this list , we ’ll take a look at 5 picture show whose special effect maintain up today for these reasons , and 5 that just have n’t aged well .
Hasn’t Aged Well: The Scorpion King (2002)
While optic event had become fairly sophisticated by the early 2000s , they still were n’t wide used , precede to some , shall we say , " misuse " of the practice . The Scorpion Kingmakes for a good instance of this , with its big CG that so distinctly clashes with the live - action mechanism elements . Crude 3D visuals and the lack of cohesion with the limit light make the effects stand up out to an almost absurd degree .
manifestly , thisMummyprequel handle to transport the visuals back in timeas well .
Still Holds Up: The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
Peter Jackson ’s more recentHobbitfilms have receive their share of criticism for the celluloid quality of the CG bombast . Yet , 2001’sThe Fellowship of the Ringironically has the benefit of coming from an era where extra effect had yet to be in full realized . Thanks to these relative limitations , the film uses this optical flair only subtly , which , unlikeThe Hobbit , is more evenly balanced with springy - action at law elements .
When these effectsareused , they typically contain mettlesome Platonism and chisel detail that mesh well with real props , makeup , and set plan . You ’ve got creature like the Nazgûl and Orcs that look visually convincing because of this fusion of styles .
Hasn’t Aged Well: Die Another Day (2002)
Being a dealership that dates back to the former 60s , it stool mother wit that early iterations ofJames Bondperhaps look a bit rough and wide-eyed to the advanced center . But ironically , it ’s one of the more modern , tatty renditions ofBondthat manages to show its age in many respects .
While we ’re treated to some over - the - top action and visual spectacle , many of the effects feel synthetic . You ’ve got the ( mostly ) cloak BMW that resemblesvideo gamegraphics , and some rather blatant greenscreen background - notably when Bond is surfing across an icy ocean .
The campy levels are off the charts here , and the special result do n’t assist in this heed .
Still Holds Up: Alien (1979)
There are few directors who have surmount the art of waxy visuals and detailed CG quite like Ridley Scott . While his more modern picture show have continued to daze , it ’s really one of his early works that ’s been capable to withstand the psychometric test of time .
Indeed , many distributor point to 1979’sAlienhas monstrously realistic visuals as the main cause for its otherworldly status . Coupled with a palpable signified of ambience , this sci - fi classic still leave an impression on many with some natural animatronics . The iconic " chestburster " setting is still burned into the retina and creative thinker of viewer 10 afterward .
Hasn’t Aged Well: Tron (1982)
Steven Lisberger and Disney’sTronmay bear a charming nostalgic quality and retro dash , but from a technical level , it ’s maturate about as well as the typewriter .
Its adhesion to reckoner - generated graphics may have been a visual marvel in ' 82 , but the staunch focal point on these computer computer graphic has inevitably turnedTroninto a go steady keepsake of the past times . The melioration in CG quickly left this sci - fi adventure in the junk , as they accelerated not long after its handout .
Still , the motion picture has manage to benefit a furore conform to , and it ’s not surprising why . It ’s become something of an amusing space capsule in film history , much likePongorPac - Manhas for television plot .
Still Holds Up: Jason And The Argonauts (1963)
While modern filmmakers attempt to entrance hearing with slick CG and rhetoric , artist Ray Harryhausen and film director Don Chaffey provide a bold reminder that sometimes , less is more . This is the case with this fantasy celluloid , which , despite dating back to'63 , showcases telling visuals . Like the use of animatronics , stop - motion has mostly become a lost nontextual matter , and one that ’s astonishingly effective in creating detailed , organic visuals .
This is march in the form ofJason and the Argonautsskeletal warriors , who bring a naturalistic look and vivification that ’s almost unsettling . You know you ’ve got a dateless example of visual effects when your study ’s demonstrated in filmmaking and living classes today .
Hasn’t Aged Well: Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (1999)
George Lucas and Lucasfilm have long been on the cutting edge of CG . After all , Lucas assist pioneer some of the earliest object lesson of computer - generate work , with his organisation of Pixar and his contribution to classics likeJurassic Park . But while hisStar Warsprequels were made to be visual spectacles , they ironically have n’t aged as well as the original trilogy .
The first 3 episode ofStar Wars- particularlyThe Phantom Menace- are rife with panorama that , to a smashing many , resemble late-’90s video game cutscenes rather than alive - action films . The overly - glib grain and vibrant nature to the visuals give a man-made look that lean to experience empty . This is in contrast to the worn , chiseled item of earlyStar Warsmodels and animatronics .
Still Holds Up: Jurassic Park (1990)
Like theLOTRtrilogy , Spielberg managed to capture lightning in a bottle by balance elusive - yet detailed - CGI with springy - activeness and animatronic bits . Being a film centre around massive reptiles who have long - since gone out , convincing optic effects were crucial . Jurassic Parkdelivers here , despite its origins go out to the Jurassic epoch of the early ' 90s .
This was thanks to rapidly amend applied science , realistic animatronics , in addition to a loyalty by the animation squad to thoroughly canvass the movement of reptilian .
Hasn’t Aged Well: The Lawnmower Man (1992)
Though the concept behindStephen King ’s sci - fi repulsion are colourful and inventive , the ' 92 picture show interpreting did n’t quite survive up to these anticipation for most viewing audience . About the scariest trait ofThe Lawnmower Manis its massively senior early-3D visuals .
Our protagonist ’s unusual head trip into a computer simulation resembles some bizarre college experimentation or off - kilter indie game . Much likeTron , these atmospheric impression may have looked groundbreaking for decades - honest-to-goodness standards , but today fend out as crude and dated .
Still Holds Up: Star Wars (1977)
The originalStar Warsstill shines as a ocular wonder and an example of how to convey ingredient that are n’t of our galax . Even with some append digital effects that occasionally clash with the constitutive nature of the film , Star Warsis visually rich and elaborate , benefiting from some gifted framework builder , animators , and cinematographers .
Ironically , it was part its limitations that allow this ' 77 classic to be as authentically lush as it was , thanks to the inventive ocular core of Industrial Light & Magic . From the detailed Star Destroyers to the thrilling Death Star struggle , this moving picture draw in its TV audience with realistic , atmospheric visuals .
NEXT:10 Best Practical Special Effects run across In The Past Decade
